A weak start on Wall Street following losses in Europe as Greece debt deadline approaches

U.S. stocks are following European markets lower Thursday as a deadline approaches in Greece's debt talks. Greece remained stuck in talks with its creditors about releasing more emergency funds ahead of a debt payment due Friday.

KEEPING SCORE: The Dow Jones industrial average slid 24 points, or 0.1 percent, to 18,061 as of 10 a.m. The Standard & Poor's 500 index lost two points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,112. The Nasdaq composite declined two points, a sliver of a percent, to 5,098.

MERGER TALKS: A report that Dish Networks is talking to T-Mobile US about a possible merger sent both companies' stocks up in early trading. The Wall Street Journal said that the two sides have yet to nail down crucial details, including a purchase price. Dish's stock jumped $4.53, or 6 percent, to $75.34, while T-Mobile's leapt $2.07, or 5 percent, to $40.38.

JAMMED: Before the market opened, J.M. Smucker reported a loss in its latest quarter even though sales climbed. Smucker's stock fell $4.19, or 4 percent, to $114.05.

EUROPE: In Europe, Germany's DAX the CAC-40 in France each fell 0.2 percent. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was 0.9 percent lower, while the Athens stock exchange was trading 1.3 percent lower.

GREECE AGAIN: Greece remains at an impasse with its creditors over key steps after a meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the head of the European Union's executive arm failed to yield an agreement to release vital bailout loans. The two sides remain far apart on issues such as sales taxes and pensions.

ONE VIEW: "It looks like investors put a bit too much stock in the Tsipras/Juncker meeting last night," said Connor Campbell, a trader at Spreadex.

ASIAN SCORECARD: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index edged up 0.1 percent, while South Korea's Kospi rose 0.5 percent. In China, the Shanghai index finished 0.8 percent higher, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.4 percent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.4 percent.

CRUDE: Benchmark U.S. crude lost $1.25 to $58.42 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, a benchmark for international oil used by many U.S. refineries, fell $1.33 to $62.47 a barrel in London.

BONDS: U.S. government bond prices rose, nudging yields down. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slipped to 2.32 percent from 2.36 percent late Wednesday.